LAST CHANCE - Speedwrite prompt fill #1 - 4
TITLE: Speak Up
RATING: K+
CHARACTER: Megatron, Shockwave
UNIVERSE: Any. (g1 / prime)
SUMMARY: Remaining silent in the midst of evil can be the worst decision
PROMPT #1, Last Chance to speak up before a pivotal moment
“Lord Megatron.”
A clenched servo stopped in mid swing. Megatron turned to his trusted lieutenant. “What is it, Shockwave?”
“Pummeling a gifted tactician to permanent deactivation is not the most efficient use of resources.”
The clenched servo opened up. “Hmm. You may be right. Soundwave!”
Soundwave stepped forward, not looking at the battered frame. “Take the Air-commander to the medbay.” Soundwave tilted his head in acknowledgement.
Starscream shrugged off the assistance once he was fully upright. “I can manage.”
Megatron watched as Starscream limped out. “Shockwave, I trust you have excellent reasons for me to allow the impudence Seeker to live.”
“Better the rebel you know, than the rebel unseen.”
TITLE: Last Stand
RATING: Teen
CHARACTER: Sunstreaker
UNIVERSE: Bayverse, Premovie
SUMMARY: You Shall Not Pass!
PROMPT #2 - Last Moments in the universe
Wounded legs buckling, half-sheared struts collapsing, Sunstreaker fell and slid. The abrupt breaking on the rocky ground scratched his yellow paint. He ignored the surface damage.
Sideswipe slowed and turned. He was ready to yank his twin up and carry him along if he had to.
Sunstreaker gritted his teeth, forced his wrecked legs to support him and stood upright. “Keep running! Get the younglings to Ratchet!”
Sideswipe paused in the middle of the valley, torn between helping his twin, or doing the prudent thing and making sure at least one of them survived. “Sunny, I Can’t.” He took one step towards Sunstreaker.
“Go - That’s an order!
“Sunny -“ Faint chirps of alarm, weakened by long-term malnourishment, helped Sideswipe make the only choice he could.
“Go. Now.” Sunstreaker resolutely turned his back, optics searching for the pursuers they could hear behind them. He felt his twin’s presence dim, not vanish - as long as both lived, that presence would always be there. Sunstreaker stood as tall as he could, activating the energon swords that helped distinguish him and his twin from all other duo-fighting teams.
“You want those two back? You’ll have to go through me!”
The approaching con scum sneered when they heard that simple statement. There was only one badly damaged warrior in front of them, and they could see the other still fleeing. The closest cons spared no glimpse for Sunstreaker, intent on bypassing the roadblock.
They died, dismembered by the swords held in the melee warriors servos.
They were replaced by others behind them.
Sunstreaker fought valiantly, desperately. Every stab and slice removed a limb or a spark. Tagged by the automated security measures guarding the prisons and labs, he fought as if he could continue this dance of death forever, despite being alone. However, he remained one mech against an army and they slowly overwhelmed him by sheer force of numbers.
Sunstreaker died, buying enough time for Sideswipe to get Skids and Mudflap to the Autobot medics.
TITLE: Trade Favors
RATING: K+
CHARACTER: Ratchet, Hook
UNIVERSE: G1/Any
SUMMARY: Being true to self, never compromising or breaking faith, can bring unexpected dividends.
PROMPT # 3 Last Time
Ratchet stared at Hook.
Hook stared at Ratchet.
Both medics refrained from moving or blinking.
They ignored the energon bars between them.
Until ….
Skywarp warped in, his unannounced arrival startling the guard.
Ratchet smirked. “I win.”
An enraged Hook yelled at the surprise visitor. “What is it, Skywarp? Did Starscream get himself slagged again?”
Skywarp wilted under Hook’s glare, and Ratchet’s smile. “No.” He swallowed. “Just wanted to let you know that after your current shift is over, Megatron won’t have a need for the prisons to be guarded.” Skywarp warped out, not seeing the smug look disappear from Ratchet’s face.
Hook turned towards the prisoner, expression blank. He pulled out a set of keys from subspace and dropped them. The keys feel on the floor, just within Ratchet’s reach. “Guess my shift’s over early.”
Hook stepped out, leaving Ratchet unguarded.
The Autobot medic grabbed the keys, unlocked the bars and slipped out of his cell. “Remind me to do something nice for Hook,” he muttered to himself, making all possible haste as he escaped.
TITLE: A Letter Home
RATING: K+
CHARACTER: Robert Epps
UNIVERSE: Bayverse
SUMMARY: It is the bonds of family and friendship that keep us fighting long after others would have given up.
PROMPT #4, last electronic conversation
Robert Epps stared at the computer screen, ignoring the blinking cursor. He would type when he was ready, not compose on the fly.
Epps spared a glance for the stack of unfinished reports. All he had to do was sign and read, before passing them up to William Lennox.
Robert focused his attention back to the computer and black -email. He was ready.
Fingers reached for the keyboard. Words appeared on the screen, at a steady pace.
Theresa, I wish I could tell you and our daughters everything that has happened of late.
Do not forget that I Love You
“BLAST!” Epps cursed when the base alarms blared and flashed. He lunged for the door, grabbing gear. “They had to schedule a drill now?”
The rest of NEST assembled, also having to regroup in the midst of personal activities. Once assembled, they learned it wasn’t a drill.
Intellectually, every human knew the odds were against every single one of them returning to base alive. They went out anyway, determined to be the back-up for their Autobot allies - even if it cost them their lives, limbs, or minds.
RATING: K+
CHARACTER: Megatron, Shockwave
UNIVERSE: Any. (g1 / prime)
SUMMARY: Remaining silent in the midst of evil can be the worst decision
PROMPT #1, Last Chance to speak up before a pivotal moment
“Lord Megatron.”
A clenched servo stopped in mid swing. Megatron turned to his trusted lieutenant. “What is it, Shockwave?”
“Pummeling a gifted tactician to permanent deactivation is not the most efficient use of resources.”
The clenched servo opened up. “Hmm. You may be right. Soundwave!”
Soundwave stepped forward, not looking at the battered frame. “Take the Air-commander to the medbay.” Soundwave tilted his head in acknowledgement.
Starscream shrugged off the assistance once he was fully upright. “I can manage.”
Megatron watched as Starscream limped out. “Shockwave, I trust you have excellent reasons for me to allow the impudence Seeker to live.”
“Better the rebel you know, than the rebel unseen.”
TITLE: Last Stand
RATING: Teen
CHARACTER: Sunstreaker
UNIVERSE: Bayverse, Premovie
SUMMARY: You Shall Not Pass!
PROMPT #2 - Last Moments in the universe
Wounded legs buckling, half-sheared struts collapsing, Sunstreaker fell and slid. The abrupt breaking on the rocky ground scratched his yellow paint. He ignored the surface damage.
Sideswipe slowed and turned. He was ready to yank his twin up and carry him along if he had to.
Sunstreaker gritted his teeth, forced his wrecked legs to support him and stood upright. “Keep running! Get the younglings to Ratchet!”
Sideswipe paused in the middle of the valley, torn between helping his twin, or doing the prudent thing and making sure at least one of them survived. “Sunny, I Can’t.” He took one step towards Sunstreaker.
“Go - That’s an order!
“Sunny -“ Faint chirps of alarm, weakened by long-term malnourishment, helped Sideswipe make the only choice he could.
“Go. Now.” Sunstreaker resolutely turned his back, optics searching for the pursuers they could hear behind them. He felt his twin’s presence dim, not vanish - as long as both lived, that presence would always be there. Sunstreaker stood as tall as he could, activating the energon swords that helped distinguish him and his twin from all other duo-fighting teams.
“You want those two back? You’ll have to go through me!”
The approaching con scum sneered when they heard that simple statement. There was only one badly damaged warrior in front of them, and they could see the other still fleeing. The closest cons spared no glimpse for Sunstreaker, intent on bypassing the roadblock.
They died, dismembered by the swords held in the melee warriors servos.
They were replaced by others behind them.
Sunstreaker fought valiantly, desperately. Every stab and slice removed a limb or a spark. Tagged by the automated security measures guarding the prisons and labs, he fought as if he could continue this dance of death forever, despite being alone. However, he remained one mech against an army and they slowly overwhelmed him by sheer force of numbers.
Sunstreaker died, buying enough time for Sideswipe to get Skids and Mudflap to the Autobot medics.
TITLE: Trade Favors
RATING: K+
CHARACTER: Ratchet, Hook
UNIVERSE: G1/Any
SUMMARY: Being true to self, never compromising or breaking faith, can bring unexpected dividends.
PROMPT # 3 Last Time
Ratchet stared at Hook.
Hook stared at Ratchet.
Both medics refrained from moving or blinking.
They ignored the energon bars between them.
Until ….
Skywarp warped in, his unannounced arrival startling the guard.
Ratchet smirked. “I win.”
An enraged Hook yelled at the surprise visitor. “What is it, Skywarp? Did Starscream get himself slagged again?”
Skywarp wilted under Hook’s glare, and Ratchet’s smile. “No.” He swallowed. “Just wanted to let you know that after your current shift is over, Megatron won’t have a need for the prisons to be guarded.” Skywarp warped out, not seeing the smug look disappear from Ratchet’s face.
Hook turned towards the prisoner, expression blank. He pulled out a set of keys from subspace and dropped them. The keys feel on the floor, just within Ratchet’s reach. “Guess my shift’s over early.”
Hook stepped out, leaving Ratchet unguarded.
The Autobot medic grabbed the keys, unlocked the bars and slipped out of his cell. “Remind me to do something nice for Hook,” he muttered to himself, making all possible haste as he escaped.
TITLE: A Letter Home
RATING: K+
CHARACTER: Robert Epps
UNIVERSE: Bayverse
SUMMARY: It is the bonds of family and friendship that keep us fighting long after others would have given up.
PROMPT #4, last electronic conversation
Robert Epps stared at the computer screen, ignoring the blinking cursor. He would type when he was ready, not compose on the fly.
Epps spared a glance for the stack of unfinished reports. All he had to do was sign and read, before passing them up to William Lennox.
Robert focused his attention back to the computer and black -email. He was ready.
Fingers reached for the keyboard. Words appeared on the screen, at a steady pace.
Theresa, I wish I could tell you and our daughters everything that has happened of late.
Do not forget that I Love You
“BLAST!” Epps cursed when the base alarms blared and flashed. He lunged for the door, grabbing gear. “They had to schedule a drill now?”
The rest of NEST assembled, also having to regroup in the midst of personal activities. Once assembled, they learned it wasn’t a drill.
Intellectually, every human knew the odds were against every single one of them returning to base alive. They went out anyway, determined to be the back-up for their Autobot allies - even if it cost them their lives, limbs, or minds.